Mixing valve

ABSTRACT

A hot and cold water mixing valve having hot and cold water inlet ports controlled by a rotatable valve member to open and close the inlet ports in sequence suitable for use of the valve as a shower valve or the like. An adjustable stop associated with the valve permits the full hot position to be adjusted to prevent scalding. In installations such as apartments, hotels or the like wherein a single system of hot and cold water supply pipes services shower or tub facilities arranged back to back on opposite sides of a common wall containing the supply pipes, a fixed bushing part may be selectively oriented relative to the inlet ports so that in both such installations the valve is rotatable in the same direction of rotation and provides the proper sequence of operation without the necessity of additional cross over piping within the wall.

Manoogian et al.

[ 1 July 4, 1972 |54l MIXING VALVE [72] Inventors: Alex Manoogian,Grosse Pointe Farms;

Eric V. Pullen, Northville, both of Mich.

[731 Assignce: Masco Corporation, Taylor, Mich.

[22] Filed: April 9, 1970 [2i I Appl. No; 132,703

Primary ExaminerM. Cary Nelson Assistant ExaminerRobert J MillerAttorney-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap [57] 7 ABSTRACT A hot and coldwater mixing valve having hot and cold water inlet ports controlled by arotatable valve member to open and close the inlet ports in sequencesuitable foruse of the valve as a shower valve or the like. Anadjustable stop associated with the valve permits the full hot positionto be adjusted to prevent scalding. ln installations such as apartments,hotels or the like wherein a single system of hot and cold water supplypipes services shower or tub facilities arranged back to back onopposite sides of a common wall containing the supply pipes, a fixedbushing part may be selectively oriented relative to the inlet ports sothat in both such installations the valve is rotatable in the samedirection of rotation and provides the proper sequence of operationwithout the necessity of additional cross over piping within the wall.

[0 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures MIXING VALVE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thevalve incorporates a specially shaped motion limiting control elementconnected to the shank of a rotatable valve stem carrying a valve discwhich has hot and cold water ports therein and through which ports thehot and cold water passes for mixing in a mixing chamber. The valve stemand control element are rotatable as a unit, and the control element maybe assembled to the shank in but a single angular and axial relation tothe latter. It is therefore impossible to set the control elementimproperly in reference to the hot and cold water ports of the valvedisc. Further pursuant to the invention, the control element referred tois provided with radially extending stop arms, one of which limits therotation of the element in one direction by abutting one surface of afixed extension of a bushing component of the valve structure. This iswhen the valve is in its closed position. The other of the radial arms,upon rotation of the valve stem in an opposite direction, engages anopposite surface of the same extension part of the valve bushing. Thisis when the valve is conditioned for a maximum flow of water to themixing chamber from the hot water line, and this position is optionallyadjustable at the time of installation or later through the agency of anadjustable set screw on the last-mentioned control element arm. Thus itis possible to set the valve to prevent the possibility of a scald ordiscomfort from the shower head flow.

Another improved feature of the invention resides in the provision ofmeans enabling the bushing and valve stem components to be selectivelyset in diametrically opposite positions in the valve body, thuspermitting the back-to-back orientation of two valve units fed by asingle set of supply lines without the necessity of extraneousinter-wall piping which would otherwise be necessary to provide propersequencing of the valves. The same direction of hand-rotation of bothvalves, counterclockwise or clockwise, produces the same sequence ofoperation at either space serviced by the interwall piping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in enlarged scalecross section, being in a plane at 1-1 of FIG. 2 through the common axisof the assembly of body, stem, bushing and bonnet components of theimproved mixing valve;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary side elevational view of the valve asordinarily positioned in use;

FIG. 2 is a view on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the relationship of amotion-limiting control member in relation to a fixed stop extension ofthe valves bushing, as when in a maximum hot water setting of thecontrol member;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in section similar to FIG. 1 of the valvestem bushing, better illustrating lug means by which its optional 180reversible placement in the valve body is made possible;

FIG. 4 is a view of the rotatable valve stem in section on a linecorresponding to the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, but showing the closed positionof the valve member relative to the inlet ports;

FIG. 5 is a view in section on line 5-5 of FIG. 1, illustrating portprovisions in the valve body, including hot and cold water intakepassages to the valve member and mixing chamber, and the dischargepassage leading to a shower head or a tub faucet; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view, partially broken away and sectioned online 6-6 of FIG. 5, further illustrating the discharge passage.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As illustrated in FIG. 1, thevalve of the invention, generally designated by the reference number 10,comprises a fixed, in-

ported for hot and cold water intake and mixed temperature discharge, ina manner hereinafter described.

A rotatable valve stem unit 15 is coaxially received in chamber 12, thisunit including an elongated center operating shank 16 secured to the hub17 of a disc-like valve element 18. The valve element 18 is preferablyof a plastic composition and is molded onto the valve stem 16.

A fixed, generally cylindrical molded bushing 19, preferably also of aplastic composition, has a cylindrical hub bore 19 thereof telescopedonto a cylindrical part of stem shank 16, which is thus rotativelyguided in bore 19'. A sleeve-like cylindrical metal bonnet 20 threadedonto body part 12 clamps a peripheral rib 20' of bushing 19 against theend surface of the valve body 11, while valve element 18 is freelyrotatable over the ported surface of valve body portion 14.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, the base portion is bored in the axialdirection to afi'ord cold and hot water intake ports 21, 22,respectively, which are spaced diametrically equal distances on oppositesides of the axis of the valve 10 as a whole. These ports are adaptedrespectively to have liquidtight connection, as appears in FIG. 1A, witha cold water supply tube 23 and a hot water supply tube 24, which tubesare in turn communicated at a standard fitting 25 with correspondinglines of the inter-wall cold-hot water system of the building, inaccordance with conventional plumbing practice.

The valve body ports 21, 22 communicate axially with valve seat spacescontaining spring-urged rubber valve seat units 27 which sealinglyengage the end surface of the valve disc member 18. Reference being hadto FIGS. 5 and 6, the body portion 14 also has a single mixed waterdischarge passage 28 located in a plane half way between ports 21, 22and at to a line through the axes of these ports. Recesses 29 and 30extend only partially into the body 14 (FIG. 6) and communicate incommon between the valve mixing chamber 13 and the discharge passage 28.The flow of cold and hot water from the respective cold and hot lines23, 24 and valve ports 21, 22, thence into the mixed water passage 28,is controlled by the valve disc 18 of the stem unit 16. As shown in FIG.1A, a third copper tube 31 communicates the discharge passage 28 with anappropriate line in fitting 25 for a tempered water flow to the showerhead or tub faucet.

Referring to FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the valve disc 18carries three radially projecting ears 32 to locate it generally withinthe valve body wall 12, and it further is provided with an arcuatethrough-opening 33 of substantial area adapted to communicate cold waterfrom the cold water inlet port 21 with mixing chamber 13. Anotheropening or throughpassage 34 in portion 18 of somewhat lesser area andtapering in width accommodates the flow to chamber 13 of hot water fromintake port 22. The water flows from chamber 13 downwardly over theedges of valve 18 between ears 32 to the outlet 28.

The fitting 25 is cast to provide an integral flange formation at 36 forattaching it to a suitable wall or other support (not shown). Its bodyportion presents an upper leg to which a pipe 37 leading to the showerhead has a liquid-tight connection, and a lower leg to which a pipe 38leading to the tub faucet is similarly connected. These lines are ofcourse fed by the water discharge tube 31, and an adapter pipe 39 isshown connected in the pipe line 38 to accommodate a conventionaldiverter (not shown) by which liquid flow is switched from tub faucet toshower head, and vice versa. One side port 40 of fitting 25 receives thehot water supply line of the system, communicating the latter with valvetube 24, and an opposite side port similarly establishes communicationbetween the valve tube 23 and the cold water supply line.

The non-metallic bushing unit 19 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) is formed adjacentits inner end with an annular groove receiving an O-ring 42 for coactionwith the inner cylindrical surface of the body wall 12 to provide aliquid-tight seal in this zone. Bushing 19 also has an annular innerrecess at 43 enlarging the capacity of the mixing chamber 13 of the bodywall 11. The outer axial end of bonnet member 20 is radially inwardlyflanged at 44 to engage against the outer surface of bushing 19, and thebonnet 20 has an adjustable threaded connection at 45 with valve body11, thus holding the bushing unit and stem unit 15 in proper assembly inthe body 11, with proper axial force exerted on the hub 17 by an innerannular boss 46 of the bushing.

Referring to the end view of FIG. 2, in conjunction with the sectionalviews of FIGS. 1 and 3, the bushing 19 has an axially extending stopextension 47 thereon for coaction with a limit control member 48. Thismember is telescoped upon the shank 16 and has a D-shaped bore 49 withthe flat side of this bore engaging the longer of two flats 50, 50' onthe stem 16. This keys control member 48 for rotation with the valvestem 16 upon manual operation of a handpiece (not shown) screwfastenedto the end of stem 16 and engaging the flat 50'. Provision is made, in amanner to be described, to enable the placement of the control memberelement 48 on the shank 16 in only a single angular and axialorientation.

Thus, in performing its function the member 48 limits the angular swingof valve stem 16 between closed and maximum hot water discharge settingsby its engagement with the integral stop extension 47 of bushing member19. The stop 47 is defined in perimeter by an inner arcuate surface wall53 of predetermined radius of curvature, a concentric outer wall surface54 and opposite, angularly outwardly divergent side surfaces 55 and 56predeterminedly spaced from one another, and predeterminedly located inrelation to the cold and hot water ports 33, 34 of valve member 18.

The limit control member 48 is formed to provide an integral, radiallyextending stop arm 57 and, in predetermined angular spacing to that arm,a second radial stop arm 58 having a threaded bore receiving anadjusting set screw 59 to provide an adjustable stop engageable with theangular side surface 55 of the bushing extension 47, as illustrated inFIG. 2. This permits an adjustment of the position of valve disc 18 fora desired maximum exposure of its hot water port 34 to the hot waterinlet port 22 of valve body portion 14. The arm 57, in directly engagingthe surface 56 in the opposite direction, defines the closed position ofthe valve.

Further pursuant to the inventiomone arcuate outer surface segment ofthe control element 48 at 61 has a radius which is but a trifle lessthan the curvature radius of the inner arcuate wall surface 53 of thebushing projection 47. This segment extends in a clockwise direction(FIG. 2) from the control member arm 58 to its other arm 57, permittinga swing of the element 48 in either angular direction through an aregreater than 90 in extent. However, the remaining arcuate portion 62 ofcontrol element 48 is of larger radius than both its other arcuateportion 61 and the inner arcuate surface 53 of the bushing extension 47.Hence, control member 48 cannot have a telescoped placement on theflatted valve stem shank 16 in an angular and axial orientation otherthan the proper one shown in FIG. 2, and still bring its arms 57, 58 toa plane for swinging engagement with bushing surfaces 55 and 56.

As also appears in FIGS. 1 and 2, an annular rib 64 is integrally moldedon the end of the bushing member 19, being of less height than butintegrally connected with the extension 47; and a sealing O-ring 65surrounds the stem shank 16 within the rib formation 64. The O-ring isplaced under compression by an inner boss extension 66 of the controlelement 48.

Reference now being had to FIGS. 2, 3 and in conjunction with FIG. 1,the bushing member 19 is molded adjacent the outer end thereof to afforda pair of diametrically opposed, radially extending locating ears orlugs 68, 69 which are received in correspondingly shaped and spacednotches or recesses 70 in the annular wall portion 12 of the valve body1 l, axially outwardly of the latters threading at 45.

Referring to FIG. 4, the valve member 18 is shown in its closed positionin relation to the inlet ports 21 and 22 in which the rubber seals 27sealingly engage the valve member 18. As the valve stem is rotated in aclockwise direction the passage 33 in the valve member is first broughtinto registry with the cold water inlet port 21. Upon continued rotationthe leading edge of the hot water passage 34 in the valve member 18 isbrought into registry with the hot water inlet port 22 and the valvethen continues to be moved through the mixing range until finally thecold water inlet port 21 is closed off and the wider portion of passage34 is in registry with the port 22 which is the full hot position of thevalve, and which position may be adjusted by adjustment of the set screw59. This sequence of operations from closed to cold and then through themixing range to full hot is of course conventional. However, it will benoted from FIG. 4 that if a similar valve were to be installed on theopposite side of a wall containing the supply pipes without anyadditional piping to compensate for the reversal, the inlet port 21 inthe valve body would be connected to the hot water line. Therefore, insuch installations it is merely necessary to turn the bushing member 19which is made possible by the diametrically opposed lugs 68 and 69 andthe recesses 70 in the valve body, the effect of which is to rotate thevalve member 18 180 relative to the inlet ports 21 and 22, which willinsure that the intended sequence of operations will occur with the sameclockwise direction of opening movement of the valve.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A mixing valve comprising a valve body having a bore therein and hotand cold water inlet ports opening into the inner end wall of said bore,a bushing in the outer end of said bore and spaced from said end wall todefine a mixing chamber therebetween, a valve disc having an operatingstern extending outwardly through and rotatably supported in saidbushing, said valve disc being rotatable against said end wall andhaving circumferentially spaced hot and cold water passages extendingtherethrough respectively registrable with said hot and cold water inletports to permit the flow of water into said mixing chamber, stop meanson said bushing and said stem to limit rotation of said valve discbetween two limit positions, in one of which positions said valve disccloses both of said inlet ports and upon rotation thereof toward theother position first opens said cold water inlet port and then said hotwater inlet port.

2. A mixing valve according to claim 1 wherein said valve body isprovided with an outlet port opening into said end wall of said bore andsaid valve disc has portions of its periphery of smaller diameter thansaid bore to provide communication between said mixing chamber andoutlet port in all positions of said valve disc.

3. A mixing valve according to claim 1 wherein said stop means comprisescircumferentially spaced abutrnents on said bushing and a stop memberrotatable with said stem and engageable with said abutments.

4. A mixing valve according to claim 3 wherein said stop member isprovided with a pair of radially extending arms engageable with saidabutrnents on said bushing.

5. A mixing valve according to claim 4 wherein one of said arms isprovided with adjustable means engageable with the one of said abutmentswhich defines the full hot position of said valve disc thereby to permitadjustment of said full hot position.

6. A mixing valve according to claim 1 wherein said other position ofsaid valve disc defines the full hot position thereof, said stop meansincluding a manually adjustable element to permit adjustment of saidfull hot position.

7. A mixing valve comprising a valve body having a bore therein anddiametrically opposed hot and cold water inlet ports and an outlet portopening into the inner end wall of said bore, a bushing in the outer endof said bore and spaced from said end wall to define a mixing chambertherebetween, said mixing chamber communicating with said outlet port, avalve disc having an operating stem extending outwardly through androtatably supported in said bushing, said valve disc being rotatableagainst said end wall and having circumferentially spaced hot and coldwater passages extending therethrough respectively registrable with saidhot and cold water inlet ports to permit the flow of water into saidmixing chamber, stop 9. A mixing valve according to claim 8 wherein saidcooperating means permit selective mounting of said bushing in either oftwo diametrically opposite positions in said valve bore.

10. A mixing valve according to claim 8 wherein said cooperating meanspermit mounting of said bushing in either of two positions relative tosaid inlet ports whereby movement of said valve disc from its closedposition will first open a selected one of said inlet ports.

1. A mixing valve comprising a valve body having a bore therein and hotand cold water inlet ports opening into the inner end wall of said bore,a bushing in the outer end of said bore and spaced from said end wall todefine a mixing chamber therebetween, a valve disc having an operatingstem extending outwardly through and rotatably supported in saidbushing, said valve disc being rotatable against said end wall andhaving circumferentially spaced hot and cold water passages extendingtherethrough respectively registrable with said hot and cold water inletports to permit the flow of water into said mixing chamber, stop meanson said bushing and said stem to limit rotation of said valve discbetween two limit positions, in one of which positions said valve disccloses both of said inlet ports and upon rotation thereof toward theother position first opens said cold water inlet port and then said hotwater inlet port.
 2. A mixing valve according to claim 1 wherein saidvalve body is provided with an outlet port opening into said end wall ofsaid bore and said valve disc has portions of its periphery of smallerdiameter than said bore to provide communication between said mixingchamber and outlet port in all positions of said valve disc.
 3. A mixingvalve according to claim 1 wherein said stop means comprisescircumferentially spaced abutments on said bushing and a stop memberrotatable with said stem and engageable with said abutments.
 4. A mixingvalve according to claim 3 wherein said stop member is provided with apair of radially extending arms engageable with said abutments on saidbushing.
 5. A mixing valve according to claim 4 wherein one of said armsis provided with adjustable means engageable with the one of saidabutments which defines the full hot position of said valve disc therebyto permit adjustment of said full hot position.
 6. A mixing valveaccording to claim 1 wherein said other position of said valve discdefines the full hot position thereof, said stop means including amanually adjustable element to permit adjustment of said full hotposition.
 7. A mixing valve comprising a valve body having a boretherein and diametrically opposed hot and cold water inlet ports and anoutlet port opening into the inner end wall of said bore, a bushing inthe outer end of said bore and spaced from said end wall to define amixing chamber therebetween, said mixing chamber communicating with saidoutlet port, a valve disc having an operating stem extending outwardlythrough and rotatably supported in said bushing, said valve disc beingrotatable against said end wall and having circumferentially spaced hotand cold water passages extending therethrough respectively registrablewith said hot and cold water inlet ports to permit the flow of waterinto said mixing chamber, stop means on said bushing and a stop memberon said stem engageable therewith to limit rotation of said valve discbetween two limit positions, in one of which positions said valve disccloses both of said inlet ports and upon rotation thereof toward theother limit position first opens said cold water inlet port and thensaid hot water inlet port.
 8. A mixing valve according to claim 7wherein said bushing and said valve body are provided with cooperatingmeans for mounting said bushing in said valve bore in a selectedposition relative to said inlet ports.
 9. A mixing valve according toclaim 8 wherein said cooperating means permit selective mounting of saidbushing in either of two diametrically opposite positions in said valvebore.
 10. A mixing valve according to claim 8 wherein said cooperatingmeans permit mounting of said bushing in either of two positionsrelative to said inlet ports whereby movement of said valve disc fromits closed position will first open a selected one of said inlet ports.